I've Decided That I Am Well Worth It. Riverside, CA

I am a patient of Dr. Joseph Ku, who performed my breast reduction in December 02, 2015. This reduction was not done for cosmetic purposes, it was deemed medically necessary and covered by my insurance company. Since I was having the reduction for medical reasons, my mind never really traveled to how I would look estetically. I was merely focused on getting relief. But once I had the surgery, I was absolutely amazed at Dr. Ku's work. He is an artist, and he is extremely gifted at his craft. I have healed wonderfully, and am 150% satisfied with the results. Dr. Ku made this process a breeze for me. He endured that I were in good hands, and he kept his word on that every step of the way! He is a doctor who can be trusted, and because I trust him so much, I have decided to allow him to do my tummy tuck!!!

I have had a struggle with my abdominal area since before the birth of my first born daughter (now 20 years old). I was born with an abdominal hernia, and experienced diastasis recti, loose skin, and severe stretch marks. All which have gotten worse with the births of my other two children. On top of that, I've had 3 c-sections! Needless to say, my stomach has been a battle field.

Over the years, I have struggled with body image issues regarding both my breast and stomach. I absolutely love the rest of my body, but both my breast and stomach have made me feel some type of way about myself for over 20 years! Imagine not being happy for over 20 years. It's like serving a prison sentence!!! I have often carried a certain amount of guilt around whenever I would decide that I wanted to do something about the appearance of my body. Especially my breast. Looking back, I think a lot of that guilt came from worrying about what my family and others would think about my decision. With my breast, I knew that I would not consider a reduction until I was done having children, so my breast was in essence the lesser of the two evils!! Lol! But my stomach was a different story. I have gone to endless consultations regarding abdomnialplasty over the course of 20 years, and have been in a position where I wasn't ready because I knew I was going to want more children, could not imagine having the means of affording, fearful of the process of hernia repair and abdomnialplasty, and feeling guilty about wanting to alter the look of my body. But this desire to change it, never died and my misery has grown more and more. I'm tired of being the girl who covers up at the spa, I'm tired of being the girl who won't wear a bathing suit (not even a full one, let alone a bikini), tired of being the girl who would go in for bra fittings for shame of someone seeing my body, tired of being in a close intimate sexual relationship because I was feeling that my imperfections have to be intolerable to a man since they are so intolerable to me. I had just grown tired! But, I am one all of that. Since having my BR, I have gained a totally new perspective!! I now include my breast as one of those parts of my body that I love!!!! ???? And while I have a man who loves me and all of my flaws,(He's such a sweet man, and I thank God for him) I've decided that doing an abdomnialplasty will be entirely for me!!! I am so excited about this phase of my life, and anxious to get things done!!

This is going to be the first time in my life that I have had to make a sacrifice to do something special for myself. The truth of he matter is, I don't just have $10,000 laying around in a bank account for me to spend. But, I have created a foreseeable plan that will allow me to make this happen for me! I am so worth the investment! I have completed my consult with Dr. Ku and signed my proposal. My plan is to pay for half of the cost no later than mid-March, and then make aggressive monthly payments to pay as much off as I can by June, and finance any remaining balance. My goal is to be on the flat side well before my birthday in September. So my journey begins now!!!

I have also planned to drop 15 pounds before the procedure, and try to lose as much abdominal fat as possible. (I would like to avoid lipo of my sides and flanks if at all possible). I want to tone as much as possible since I know I will have to avoid the gym for some time after the procedure. That'll give me at least 4 to 5 months to reach that goal. I think it's very doable.

Dr. Ku has decided that it will be best to bring in a different physician to do my hernia repair since it's so large. So it will be necessary for me to get a referral from my primary care doctor so that I can begin that process.

I am beyond excited about this journey!! It begins now!

I will be adding some before pictures of my belly momentarily. And, I'll also add pictures as I go showing my weight loss.

If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to offer them!

For years, I have gotten in the great practice of knowing how to hide all of this junk! It has stopped me from doing a lot of what I enjoy. But most of all, it has stopped me from ever wanting to show my flaws to anyone, including any one that I have been in a relationship with. My mission is to finally get to a place where I enjoy and appreciate my "entire" body. My stomach is the only area that I don't fully like. I definitely see the potential of how it can be sculpted through exercise and excersision of the extra skin. So my goal is to spend the next few months working on sculpting as much as I can by losing abdominal fat so that my PS can have the best canvas that I can offer.

Here are some of my pics:

I had an appointment with my primary care physician on Monday, February 15, 2016 in order to get a referral to a surgeon, who will conduct my hernia repair. That appointment is set for March 1st., 2016.

I am both nervous and excited. I'm nervous because I have to deal with the whole hernia repair. I'm certain that it's an easy fix, but I guess the anxiety is in that I don't know what to expect. I'm excited, because I have no doubt that my PS will do a remarkable job on my TT. I have been perusing this sight looking at before and after pics, and I'm beginning to ask myself more and more, why didn't I do this a long time ago. Like in my 20's? Lol!! I've been eyeing bikinis, and I have two in particular that are must haves.

I have begun a walking regiment, and will be returning to the gym in the morning. I'm trying to lose at least 15 pounds, and as much belly fat as I can. I would like to avoid lipo of my sides and flanks, if at all possible. I don't mind working hard at getting things in order to the best of my ability. My present weight is 185 lbs., so I'd like to get down to 170 lbs. I figure I might loss a few additional pounds with the surgery, and I do not have the desire to be any smaller than 165 lbs.

As far as the cost of my procedure, I have elected put half down now (my plan is to make initial payment after seeing the general surgeon), and make monthly payments until June, at which time, any remaining balance will be financed. Before now, I couldn't imagine coming up with $10K for something like this, but I had to consider how many times I have gotten substantial tax returns that I have completely blown, with nothing to show for it. And I've also had credit card debt for things that are less important than investing in me. With a few minor adjustments with saving, this is doable, and I am well worth it!!

I'm thinking about making a video journal regarding my procedure since while I have been doing my research, I haven't seen enough videos which include women who have both extreme diastis recti and umbilical hernias. I figure that perhaps my journey could help someone else.

That's all for now. Next post: Appointment W/General Surgeon.

I met with my general surgeon on 2/25/2016. This appointment was necessarily so that he could make an assessment of my umbilical hernia, and figure out how he and Dr. Ku will work together during the surgery. My surgeon explained that there are two different procedures that he uses for hernia repair. One is an open procedure, where he would open me up from the belly button, and work on the repair from the outside. The second, would entail laparoscopy where incisions would be made on the sides of my abdomen and he would then technically work on the repair from the outside, using video to aid in his maneuver. He did express that he wasn't certain as to which approach he'd like to use, and would have to discuss with my PS to find the best recourse. He also explained that due to the size of the hernia, he would have to place a mesh inside to ensure that it doesn't reoccur. I'm not sure about how I feel regarding the mesh.

We are now waiting for the approval from my medical group for the hernia repair, and then the Drs will orchestrate a date for the procedure. I'm hoping for some time in June or July.

The general sergeon did raise an eyebrow for me because he asked was I seeking a panniculetomy. I never thought to try to get approval for that through the insurance. And I wonder if doing so would discount any portion of my TT cost. Is there anyone in the RS world who has had this situation?

In the meanwhile, it's a waiting game. Once I hear back from the surgeon, I'll make my deposit with the PS. Choose a date and begin the true count down. I am working on losing a bit of weight before it all goes down, and have been spending countless hours on RS and YouTube reading stories and watching videos. I'm strongly considering starting a video diary of the TT surgery only because I've found that i haven't seen much on TT and Hernia repair performed by two different drs.

I've received approval through my insurance company for the repair of my hernia. Now it's a matter of making my deposit and having the Drs orchestrate a date. I'm getting more and more excited! Yaaaaay!!! ????????????????

Everyone has their wish pic. Here is mine!!! ????

To be honest, I really love my body and all that it does for me. It has truly been my temple. Although I have moments where I feel like the queen of the Nile, and other times where the smallest of flaws consume me, I am still proud to be me. I am at a point where I have embraced so much about my body, and there is just this one part of my body (my stomach) that I feel keeps me from being my 100% optimal best. And to be honest, I'd like to put all of this sexy into a bad a$$ bikini and flaunt it!! Since I'm striving to be my best, I've decide to change that one part. If asked in my present skin if I feel sexy, the answer is an absolute YES!!! Not only do I feel sexy, I feel youthful, I feel full of life, and I feel worth it!!! I am undeniably Bad A$$!!!

Today feels so surreal!!! I made my initial down payment. It's beginning to become a reality. I have a happy nervous energy, and even sat in my car for about 15 minutes outside of the PS office trying to come up with every reason why I shouldn't move forward, and trying to come up with feelings of guilt about doing something for myself as opposed to doing something for my children. I've always had this kind of guilt when ever I do anything for myself. Even down to when I do the simplest of things, like buying myself a new pack of panties or a bra! I sat there a while longer and I did it!!! Felt guilty for a second, but I'm not feeling as guilty as usual.

I am now waiting for the coordinators to give me a surgery date.

I have been officially scheduled for June 22, 2016!!! I am overjoyed!! I have butterflies in my stomach! The same nervous energy that I had before I had the BR done.

Now it's time to get this body in order as much as I can before my surgery date. I am presently 185 lbs., and would like to get down to at least 170. I'm certain that I'll loose a bit of weight with the surgery, but have no desire to weigh under 165 lbs. So I figure I leave a little cushion! Lol!!!

My plan is to implement a Paleo diet, walking 5 days a week, and weights at least 2 days a week. I'm hoping to trim as much of my waist, back, and flank area so as to avoid lipo.

I have to start gathering all of the items that I need to support me through recovery. Any suggestions?

I have approximately 12 weeks until my surgery date!!! The month of March flew by, so I'm hoping that the rest of the time will do so as well.

I've been going to the gym and doing as much walking during my lunch break at work, but I have gained some weight. I can honestly attribute that to water retention and the fact that my sister came out to visit me, so I've been pretty much vacationing with her. She leaves today, April 1st, 2016, so it's definitely time for me to get back on track. I'm presently weighing in at 194 lbs. ???? My relationship with food and alcohol has been totally disrespectful over the last week! Lol!! I'll be starting off with a detox, to get my liver functioning at its optimal level. So no more alcohol from this point on, and through healing after the procedure. I also plan on cutting out most processed foods, except for those I simply can't live without (cheese being one). Everything else will be done in moderation. I'll also concentrate on the inches that I loose as opposed to weight. There are certain areas that I am hoping I am able to trim down. Particularly, my back, flanks, and abdominal area. I truly like my curves, and am so afraid that I will loose weight in all of the wrong areas. For this reason, I want to concentrate more on weight lifting.

I'm trying to decide how far in advance I should put my job on notice about my surgery? I am going to utilize FMLA and my short-term disability option so that I won't have to drain out all of my vacation time. So I know I want to at least give enough notice to have those things in place.

I'm so excited about this journey, and am obsessed with thinking about it. I spend a lot of my time perusing through pics looking at scar position and tattooing for tummy tucks. I also enjoy all of the YouTube videos. Still working on a video of my own. I'm finding it very awkward filming myself, but I'll get it together.

I have the goal of losing, at the most, 15 lbs. The problem is, while I absolutely love my shape and size, I am not happy with the numbers on the scale. I love having thick thighs, hips, and lots of booty! I've been trying to figure out why I'm so hesitant in getting this weight loss journey on the roll, and what it boils down to is my fear of losing the weight in the wrong places! I know I definitely want to tone my arms and legs, lose in the back and abdominal area, and tone my butt just a little (I personally like a little jiggle, lol), but other than that, I'm not looking for a drastic change. I've heard that there is no such thing as spot reduction, but does anyone know of ways I can keep these curves while I lose the weight. Heck, I'll even take losing inches only at this point.

I am having the most difficult time getting into a full swing workout plan, and I can't seem to figure out why! I am on a time clock with my desire to drop a bit of weight before my procedure, but with each passing day I'm telling myself, "I'll start tomorrow!" And tomorrow never comes. ????

I have 8 more weeks to go before my procedure, and while it doesn't seem like a long time to wait, I think my lack of patience is getting the best of me!! I'm so darn excited about this until I have a hard time concentrating on anything else. I have not started getting any supplies, and will begin to do so by at least the beginning of June. As for my weight, I am now weighing in at 185 lbs. I'm a bit relieved now because I just felt so unenthusiastic about getting into the groove of things. But I've begun to pick up the pace with things and feel a lot better with the idea of getting to my goal. 10 lbs should be easy!! I've just started a walk/jog program on yesterday, and my plan is to do it at least 3 days out of the week. It has been so therapeutic for me to do. My gospel music has been helping a lot as well.

This is the absolute truth! Taking everything all in stride! #wingingit #goingwiththeflow #improvise #freeflow

I am 30 days pre-op and I am as ready as ready can be!!! I have spent countless hours looking here on RS and YouTube just reading story after story, looking at pic after pic. I can not wait to have this procedure done. I am getting nervous with each passing day, but I want the days to rush by.

I have my annual exam scheduled for May 27th, with my primary doctor. He will clear me for surgery and order all of my lab work. I have yet to get a date for my pre-op appointment, and I still need to start getting supplies. Any suggestions on the must haves?

I have still not been as dedicated to losing weight as I would like to be, but I am down a few pounds, and am confident that I can at least loss 10 more pounds before surgery day.

I have decided that once the surgery is done, after healing, I am going to treat myself to a shopping spree for women intimates. It has been so long since I have even cared about how my bras and panties have looked. I guess it had everything to do with me not feeling 100% good about my body and feeling like what's the point. But I am now doing my window shopping, and can't wait to grace my new body in new underwear.

I've been looking back at old photos of myself just trying to get a feel of when I last really like being in the skin that I am in. Don't get me wrong, I love myself, but it's been a long time since I've enjoyed looking at myself naked! Lol!

The next 30 days will be torturous as far as waiting goes! But I guess there is still excitement in planning and preparing.

June has finally made it, and I can not even begin to wrap my mind around the fact that I am less than 21 days away from getting my new tummy!!! Just 3 weeks guys!!!! The anticipation is mounting and I find that I am spending most of my time daydreaming about the outcome! I have still been working at losing a few pounds and I am currently weighing in at 185. I'm sure I can get down to at least 180 by surgery date. It's not where I want to be, but it's definitely not where I was. I have a friend who is flying out for my surgery date, and she will spend at least the first three days with me. As for now, I still have yet to get supplies. I will definitely start purchasing what is needed this weekend.

I have 14 days to go, and at this point, I have run out of patience. I feel like a senior in high school with senioritis!! Lol!! I have been spending a lot of time reflecting and just preparing myself for the new me. I am ecstatic about this opportunity!!! I had a moment on yesterday where I just got so overwhelmed in how amazing God had been in my life. He has truly blessed me over and over again. I was just thinking back on the many times that I've prayed so hard for things, and while they didn't happen right away, eventually He provided me with what He wanted me to have. I was also thinking about those moments where He had kept me covered when I did what we all do at times, trying to do things my way! God is absolutely amazing.

You see this girl in this pic? This is the old me!! This is a version of me that I now reflect back on and I absolutely love her. I want to get back to her! At the time, this girl did not appreciate herself, and was on a journey to find herself. She didn't really like th skin that she was in, and took a whole lot of abuse from others. I would like to introduce her to the new me!! What I'm saying is that after all of these years, I have a new appreciation for myself. My experiences up to this point has only refined who this person is. There was absolutely nothing wrong with this girl way back then, she just didn't see it. She was fly and didn't know it! Had a banging body, and was torn down by men who told her otherwise.

The past is the past, and I am so grateful for it!! In 14 days, I will be able to re-introduce myself! It will be a cumulation of the old me who is the foundation of myself, and the new me who is the fiber of myself!!

I have saved this bathing suit because I've always promised myself that I'd get back into it. Going to post a before pic with me in it just for fun, a little later. ????

For anyone who is interested, please check out my YouTube channel which includes vlogs about my journey. I'm hoping I can reach a lot of people who are interested in my journey. And I especially hope that I can make things interesting for those who are researching for their procedure.

Here's the link to the first video:

https://youtu.be/ECUIspjFsRk

I had my pre-op appoint meant on yesterday 06/10/16. All went well. I made my final payment, and received my prescriptions.

Check out the full details in the YouTube video:
https://youtu.be/VYuGwFe-D8c

Less than 7 days and I'm getting so nervous! Didn't sleep much last night for worrying about the smallest of details. I'm just in disbelief. I still can't believe that I am finally able to do this for myself. Feeling very emotional, and I know that a lot of it has everything to do with my cycle. I've been so sensitive. It's funny because I experienced the same thing with my BR. I didn't calm all the way down until the morning of surgery. I will be spending my weekend and up until surgery day just relaxing, praying, and getting my mind right for my big day. I officially begin my leave on Friday. The only thing that I have left to do is my grocery shopping, meal prep, and picking up my scripts. I have plenty to read, and I plan on doing some binge watching on Netflix and Hulu. My children are out of school for the summer so as I am healing, I plan on spending some quality time with them. Overall, I am in a very happy place! My smile definitely shows that!

I'm less than 24 hours away, and I am a nervous wreck! This has been quite the journey and I am so overwhelmed with emotion. 20 years in the making, and who would have ever thought that I'd make it to this point. I will wake up a brand new woman after surgery, and at that point I begin yet another journey. My surgery has been slotted for 1:45 p.m. I will have quite the challenge with not eating all morning and afternoon. Lol!! Ladies please say a little prayer for me, and I will update as soon as I can! Thanks so much for the support!

Say A Prayer For Me Guys!!! The anxiety is unreal!!! ??????????????

Details coming soon!

Day 2 Post-Op is a tad bit worse than yesterday. And I believe this to be so since I had the help of the nurses on Post-Op day 1. I'm so swollen and feel so tight. It's kind of hard to take deep breaths, which is very important at this stage of the game. I have been doing my deep breathing and coughing as much as possible. It's kind of unbearable to do either due to the pain and discomfort. But I'm fighting through it. My PS explained that o could end up with pneumonia if I don't do the deep breathing. So with that being said, I'm on top of it!

I had my first Post-Op appointment this afternoon, and all went well. I was able to get a quick peek and a picture of my belly. I looks absolutely amazing! I am in pure disbelief! I have an innie!!!!

I return to my PS on Tuesday for the next Post-Op appointment at which time he might remove one of my drains. In the meantime, the PS would like for me to continue wearing the compression cuffs (he supplied me with portable ones) and to ensure that I am being as ambulatory as possible.

For anyone who is interested how my Day 1 Post-Op went, check it out on YouTube. Livelaughloveme4u@gmail.com

Hello guys!! I hope that everyone is doing well with their pre-op planning, actual procedures, and post-op healing. I have been missing in action since my last post, which was post-op day 2. The reason being is that since last Saturday, between resting, I have had to deal with my daughter who has been hospitalized for pneumonia. So I have had very little time to post.

This experience has been quite a roller coaster ride. Not so much the healing process, but having to focus on my daughter. I have been literally running back and forth with no time for anything but to tend to her, sleep, and pray. I had my 2nd post-op appointment on Monday, June 27th, 2016, which ended up being one day earlier than planned. My doctor wanted to see me earlier because I had informed him that I had some leakage. I stopped taking my pain medication on that Sunday, because I had no other choice but to drive myself to my appointment. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and my doctor's office is less than 10 minutes away from where I live. As it turned out, the leakage was being caused by surgical blisters that had formed as a result of my being sensitive to the surgical tape. My PS relieved me of the fluid and instructed me to apply antibiotic ointment 2x daily. I'll have to admit, I first thought the skin was going to be necrotic, but I am healing just fine. My PS also removed one of my drains. Boy was that the weirdest feeling ever, but it offered so much relief!! I am looking forward to getting the other one removed possibly at the next appointment. My next appointment is on Tuesday.

As far as healing goes, I think I am healing wonderfully! I love the placement of my scar, and I am still so blown away by my belly button! I have had the worst swelling, and I know that once all of the swelling subsides, I will love the results even more.

My pain medication made me very constipated. To the point where I had to take magnesium citrate and do a fleets enema to assist. Since then, I only take the pain meds at bed time.

I am walking at about 95% straight. It seems that I start off straight, but by the end of the day, I am bent over more. I have probably been doing more walking than expected since I have been back and forth to the hospital for my daughter. Also, I have not really been taking the muscle relaxants that I have been prescribed. I took them for the first few days, and on one other occasion when I felt my muscles spasms. The tightness is enough to stop me in my tracks, when it happens, but I've learned that just slowing down, breathing, and relaxing stops the spasms.

Overall, I think that I have been numb to my healing process because of my adrenaline and focus being on my daughter, but I think that this experience was no more painful than when I had my c-sections. For this I am grateful.

I'll try to check in after my next post-op appointment on Tuesday, but for now, everyone enjoy their holiday weekend! Blessings.....

Purchased my first matching panties and bra! I'm so excited!

Before and 17 Days Post-Op

Anyone just gets so caught up in admiring their own results?? I find myself in complete disbelief at times. Feels like a dream. What's so funny is that. My old belly is truly becoming a distant memory. It's almost as if the memories are being erased from my mental database. All I can see is how I look now. I've been deleting old photos of my old belly. Soon, there will be no evidence of that horrid thing! Lol!!

Before and Day 22

Yesterday was my first time going out amongst friends. I went to a bridal shower for a dear sister/friend. I was able to wear a pair of shorts that were previously very tight in my thighs and waist. I can now wear them with my compression garment on, and still would need a belt. I made the horrible mistake of wearing heels, and even drank sangria. That was horrible as well. By the time I made it home, I was so darn swollen and uncomfortable! But, I was unable to take any pain medication so that I could get comfortable. I was too afraid to take it since I had been drinking the Sangria. I couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep until almost midnight. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed myself, and I truly have a new found sense of self-confidence. I feel so sexy!!! Even with this healing process and swelling still in full affect, I feel sexy! I can't imagine how I'll feel once I am totally healed and able to wear all of the cute clothes that I have been buying. Lol! I even bought my first crop top the other day! I'll be able to wear this boy without a bra(pasties needed), and with my belly showing! I AM SO GEEKED!!!

25 days ago, I was nervously awaiting my turn in the surgery waiting area. Today, I am ecstatic that I decided to take that plunge!

I am just two days shy of being 30 days post-op, and since I've had a post-op appointment, I've decided to update today.

My PS says that I am healing beautifully, and gave me the green light to ditch my compression garment. I took it off immediately after appointment, and can now see why so many patients elect to keep wearing it. That garment, although uncomfortable at times is a security blanket of sorts. My plan is to go for as long as I can without it so that I can get a good idea as to how my swelling will do. I have noticed that since I've taken it off, I feel somewhat light headed at moments and I am also moving really slow. I think that has everything to do with me not feeling secure without the garment.

My PS would like to see me in three weeks. He did want to keep an eye out on my belly button, as it is not looking as perfect as he would like it to. In his opinion, it's protruding too much like an outtie. His hopes is that it is just swelling, which will subside. Well I beg to differ!! It looks perfect to me!! ??

My day just keeps getting better. So, my dream bikini....... I have literally been keeping my eye out for this thing since this time last year, and low and behold, I caught it on sale. It was originally $140 and is now $56. I was so uber excited that not only did I purchase that one, but I got another one just as cute for $44. Originally, $110. They will arrive in 3-4 days!!! ????????????????????????????????

Overall, I'll have to say that I feel awesome, outside of the discomfort of that garment, swelling, and minimal pain in the beginning, I have had a fair time with my healing. I do have occasions where I feel so tired and over exerted. Like the other day, I took a walk in the mall with my daughter. Halfway through, I was too tired to even walk back to my car. I had to sit down for a while and rest. By the time I made it home, I was swollen. I stayed off of my feet for the rest of the day.

I am looking forward to my next doctor's appointment, because I am hoping that it is then that he will clear me to exercise. I am anxious to tone up and have all of this work come together like a masterpiece.

Later for now, and happy healing everyone!

My dream bikinis have arrived, but I am truly in need of some fine tuning! I am excited about the challenge of making my body more pristine and bikini ready. Looking forward to my next post-op appointment. Hopefully, I will here those magic words, "you are clear to workout!"

As of lately, I've become addicted to taking selfies!! My waist is SNATCHED!!!! Woke up with less swelling than I have ever had! I can only imagine what the absolute final result is going to look like.

SNATCHED!!!!

Last night was my first night out on the town, and my first time wearing my belly out. I haven't felt this sexy in over 20 years!! 20 Years!!!! Why did I wait so long to do this?

I am at my 7 week mark, and have had my final follow up appointment with my PS. I have been cleared to return to all normal activities and work without restrictions.

My PS also took after pics to compare with my before pics. I am absolutely amazed at my results!

I will continue to post from time to time to share my progress. I intend on starting my workout regimen on Saturday.

I had my first workout since surgery, this morning. I only did 30 minutes on the spin cycle, but it felt good. I was really tired afterwards and spent about 15 minutes in the sauna. I guess I was expecting to be very uncomfortable during and after the workout, but surprisingly so, the workout seemed to loosen me up and made me feel less tension in my abdomen and lower back. I plan on going back in the morning, and will work on increasing my time. It feels good to be back at it, and I am looking forward to further transforming my body!

Some how, 4 months have passed me by. It seems like almost at lightning speed. Seems just like yesterday that I was going in for my surgery, but today, it's almost as if I never had it done. Life is definitely back to normal. I have returned to ALL normal activities without a problem. I still experience swelling depending on what I eat, but not as extreme as before. I walk 4-5 miles at least 5 days out of the week, and try to make it to the gym at least 2-3 days out of the week. I feel that I am still struggling with my weight. The number on the scale, anyway. I keep pushing forward, with my main focus being at least maintaining the weight I presently am.

I am still in love with my results, and I feel that my doctor has done a remarkable job. At times, I can't believe how flat my stomach is, and how cute my belly button is as compared to before. I did have a small concern with feeling as if my belly button was getting smaller. As I have read, this does occur at times. So I've started wearing an earplug as often as I can tolerate, and will return to my doctor to ensure that it's nothing to be too alarmed about.

It has been five months since my surgery, and I can't believe how much time has passed! Still with every passing day, I am more and more satisfied. I've been working out and am back to being 100 % active without any discomfort. I still bloat depending on what I eat, but outside of that, it's all good!

Haven't felt this sexy in years!!! It has been long overdue!! Allow me to re-introduce myself!!! ????????

I can see my body changing!

What a difference!

It's been a while since I've last posted here. Nothing much has happened.... During the winter, I gained 20 lbs., that I am now fighting to lose. 10 lbs., to go... I do notice subtle changes in my abdominal area. My things look and feel more natural now. I am seeing more definition, and I have 100% sensation in my belly. I've been kind of unhappy with how the scar on my belly button has been looking. It's not enough for others to notice, but I do. All in all, I am still totally in love with my results, and am so happy that I chose this for myself.